Focus On The Family President Concedes Homosexuality Is ‘Not A Super Sin’

Focus on the Family President Jim Daly offered a new perspective on homosexuality this week responding to a question about how family members should respond to a gay child. He suggested that being gay is “not a super sin,” but he still advises parents and grandparents to condemn homosexual behaviors:

DALY: Well, first of all. I don’t mean this controversially but it may sound controversial. The one big thing is: homosexuality is not a super sin. It’s one of many, including adultery — other things — lying, cheating, gossiping; it’s right there in the list. So often I think in the Christian community, because of the political nature of it today, that we tend to raise it up as something worse than all the others.

I would say to that grandparent: make sure that tether of love stays attached to their grandchild who has come and said, “I’m gay.” They need you more than they realize, and really, that’s family.

And how do you do that? There’s going to be times when you may not be able to condone, obviously, what they’re doing. And you need to explain it in a heartfelt way — the difference.

Daly went on to absolve himself of responsibility for the message, blaming the Bible for its verses condemning homosexuality. Listen to it:

Daly’s comments have an ounce of hope. Family rejection has been shown to be incredibly detrimental to young people’s mental health, and his message of continuing to show love has some important validity. But loving condemnation is still problematic, and Focus on the Family promotes plenty of condemnation. The group endorses ex-gay therapy, rejects trans people as disordered and unhealthy, and claims that identifying as gay is just a “political statement.” Daly himself has suggested gays are in “pain” and at “battle… with the Creator.” It seems unlikely he would say the same of everyone who has lied, cheated, or gossiped.